Belt Drive Conversion To Needle Bearing

[Deleted Member 4613]

I'm getting ready to convert the 15mm shaft Chinese belt drive to bearings,
using a special rubber sealed needle roller bearing, like this:

HK1520-2RS DRAWN CUP NEEDLE ROLLER BEARING 15mm X 21mm X 20mm 15X21X20 PUG129 | eBay

YOU ARE BUYING AN EXCELLENT QUALITY NEEDLE ROLLER BEARING.

www.ebay.com

This bearing carries heavy loads, perfect for the drive, and best of all, it's
a slip fit over the 15mm motor shaft, no mod to the shaft required. I
learned a lot converting the drive to an Olite bushing so I know how to
finish off the design. This is a permanent greased-sealed bearing
solution that I like better than the Grubee 4G belt drive which uses
two sealed bearings. His design is elegant, but the result is a very
fat belt drive which requires super-wide cranks. This solution should be
just as durable as the Grubee design and far more compact. This bearing
is good to 11K rpm.

 

[Wrench]

I'm getting ready to convert the 15mm shaft Chinese belt drive to bearings,
using a special rubber sealed needle roller bearing, like this:

HK1520-2RS DRAWN CUP NEEDLE ROLLER BEARING 15mm X 21mm X 20mm 15X21X20 PUG129 | eBay

YOU ARE BUYING AN EXCELLENT QUALITY NEEDLE ROLLER BEARING.

www.ebay.com

This bearing carries heavy loads, perfect for the drive, and best of all, it's
a slip fit over the 15mm motor shaft, no mod to the shaft required. I
learned a lot converting the drive to an Olite bushing so I know how to
finish off the design. This is a permanent greased-sealed bearing
solution that I like better than the Grubee 4G belt drive which uses
two sealed bearings. His design is elegant, but the result is a very
fat belt drive which requires super-wide cranks. This solution should be
just as durable as the Grubee design and far more compact. This bearing
is good to 11K rpm.

Seems like a good Idea, I guess you'll find out if the shaft is hardened (Rockwell Metal Hardened Spec) properly for contact to another hardened metal.
If the shaft isn't hardened for contact to another hardened metal the Needle Bearing will eat into the shaft.
Let us know what happens

NOTE: It seems like the shaft should be hardened properly because of the con rod bearing
But this might mean the shaft was only hardened in the center and not on the ends.

I have seen crank shafts that were suppose to be hardened for a needle bearing but were not hardened properly. The needle bearing ate into the shaft and ruined the shaft. Sure it took a few thousand miles, But it happened and this was on a shaft that was designed for a needle bearing.
The needle bearing was oil lubed too.

BTW that needle bearing is not sealed, if over greased it will fling out grease.
Just a small dab of grease will be enough about the size of half a penny. I suggest mixing Molly grease with Red and Tacky grease.
Should wipe out the needle bearing and re grease it. Either @ 600 miles or 1,000 miles depending on how much grease ya loose from fling out.
A little bit of grease fling out shouldn't affect the clutch and get on the shoes.
Let us know what happens

 

[Deleted Member 4613]

I believe the bearing comes greased and hopefully the rubber rings at
the end of the bearing openings will seal around the shaft and prevent
grease from migrating out the bearing. That's the theory of "RS" or rubber
sealed. I will report the progress.

 

[Wrench]

I believe the bearing comes greased and hopefully the rubber rings at
the end of the bearing openings will seal around the shaft and prevent
grease from migrating out the bearing. That's the theory of "RS" or rubber
sealed. I will report the progress.

OH I looked again Now I see the rubber seals inside the bearing

I wouldn't trust their grease, I would pre grease it anyways.

 

[Wrench]

I believe the bearing comes greased and hopefully the rubber rings at
the end of the bearing openings will seal around the shaft and prevent
grease from migrating out the bearing. That's the theory of "RS" or rubber
sealed. I will report the progress.

Needle bearings still can be used without the grease seals, Ya just gotta not use alot of grease and re grease em every once in a while
The way the needles are held in the bearing shell holds grease inside it

When I saw the Needle bearing you posted I thought it needed Grease Seals like this

 

[Wrench]

I'm getting ready to convert the 15mm shaft Chinese belt drive to bearings,
using a special rubber sealed needle roller bearing, like this:

HK1520-2RS DRAWN CUP NEEDLE ROLLER BEARING 15mm X 21mm X 20mm 15X21X20 PUG129 | eBay

YOU ARE BUYING AN EXCELLENT QUALITY NEEDLE ROLLER BEARING.

www.ebay.com

This bearing carries heavy loads, perfect for the drive, and best of all, it's
a slip fit over the 15mm motor shaft, no mod to the shaft required. I
learned a lot converting the drive to an Olite bushing so I know how to
finish off the design. This is a permanent greased-sealed bearing
solution that I like better than the Grubee 4G belt drive which uses
two sealed bearings. His design is elegant, but the result is a very
fat belt drive which requires super-wide cranks. This solution should be
just as durable as the Grubee design and far more compact. This bearing
is good to 11K rpm.

The shaft will start to show signs of wear and there will be metallic dust in the grease if the needle bearing starts to eat into the shaft.
Keep an eye on it and check that shaft every 100 miles. It's Best to catch the problem before it becomes a problem.

 

[Deleted Member 4613]

Here's a better photo of the bearing showing the
ring rubber seals:

HK-1520-2RS - CONSOLIDATED BEARING | Needle Non Thrust Roller Bearings | BDI USA

CONSOLIDATED,BEARING,HK-1520-2RS..,15MM,Bore;,21MM,Outside,Diameter;,20MM,Width;,Needle,Roller,Bearing;,Assembly,with,Outer,Ring,No,Inner,Ring;,Seals,Enclosure;,Self,Aligning;,Retainer;,Single,Row,of,Rollers;,Separable;,Closed,End;,Relubricatable

www.bdiexpress.com

 

[Deleted Member 4613]

I like your suggestion of "Red and Tacky Grease" for this
application because it is high temp and formulated with
extreme pressure additives, and I can get it at
O'Reilly's:

https://images.firstcallonline.com/parts/img/documents/luc/tds_red-tacky-grease.pdf

This one is even better, for high speed bearings:

Lucas Oil 14.5 oz. Tube X-Tra Heavy Duty Grease 10301 - The Home Depot

202535870

www.homedepot.com

 

[JerryAssburger]

I like your suggestion of "Red and Tacky Grease" for this
application because it is high temp and formulated with
extreme pressure additives, and I can get it at
O'Reilly's:

https://images.firstcallonline.com/parts/img/documents/luc/tds_red-tacky-grease.pdf

This one is even better, for high speed bearings:

Lucas Oil 14.5 oz. Tube X-Tra Heavy Duty Grease 10301 - The Home Depot

202535870

www.homedepot.com

So the inner diameter of the bearing fits the output shaft okay.... is there any machining that needs to be done to the clutch bell? Either way, thanks for pointing us to a workable solution!

 

[Deleted Member 4613]

With a brake cylinder hone, I have to hone out about 1mm
of the clutch bell housing. It was very easy to do this for the
oilite bushing so I'm not expecting a problem. Will let you
know. But no modding to the shaft. The bearing is a slip
fit over the motor shaft.